Process of extracting values from ores.



w. P. BLEBGKBR.

PROCESS 0F EXTRAGTING VALUES FROM ORBS.

.wPLmA'rroN FILED MAY 24, 1912.

1,065,581 D Patented June 24, 1913.

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WARREN F. BLEECKEB., F CANONSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD CHEMICAL COMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS 0F EXTRACTING VALUES FROM DRES.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented June 24, 19713.

Y Application filed May 24, 1912. Serial No.,699,594.

IVashington and State of Pennsylvania, haveA invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Extracting Values from Ores; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This lnvention relates to an improved larly to a process for extracting values from ores, such as carnotite ore, containing uranium, vanadium, and radium.

The object of my present invention is to. so treat the ore as to separate the valuable constituents from the ore and from each other and produce separate solutions predominating, respectively, in said values.

A further object is to so treat carnotite ore as to recover separate solutions predominating, respectively, in uranium, radium and vanadium.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel steps in the extraction of values from ores, as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, my improved process is diagrammatically illustrated.

In carrying my process into eect, I proceed substantially as follows :-'I`he ore (carnotite ore, for example) is first ground or comminuted to a desired degree of tineness,

and it is then leached with a hot solution of4 an alkaline carbonate, such, for example, as.

sodium carbonate,-the temperature of such 40 solution preferably not exceeding 90 C.

' The effect ,of this treatment is to dissolve the uranium contained in the ore (forming so dium uranyl carbonate,-

Y (Naco,)2.uo2oo3),

and also a portion of the vanadium, (forming sodium vanadate of the type probably NazVOq). This solution is then process for treating ores, and morel particu ium barium sulfates in the orc (forming radium barium carbonates,- ItaCO.BaCO3) and rendering the radium content soluble in acidV as presently explained. The ore will be next washed to free it from sulfates originating from the radium barium sulfates above mentioned, and also to free the ore from soluble carbonates. The

resultant solution will contain sodium uranyl carbonate and vanadlum salts, such as sodium vanadate. This solution is then withdrawn and storedfor any approved subsequent treatment to recover the values. The ore will then be leached with an acid and then washed with water. Any suitable acid maybe used in thislstep of the process and 1t may be either hot or cold. Good results may be obtained with the use of an 8% solution of hydrochloric or nitric acid, for example. This treatment of the oredissolves the radium (forming radium barium chlor1d,-RaBaCl2) and some of the vanadium in the ore (forming vanadyl chlorid VOCl2) and the solution will be drawn oil and stored for any approved subsequent treatment to recover the values. If desired, the ore may finally be leached with dilute sulfuric. acid. I prefer to employ a solution of substantially 10% H2SO4, and this solution should be hot, preferably at a temperature not exceeding 90 C. This treatment dissolves the vanadlum Iemaining in the ore (forming vanadyl ,sul-

fate,-(VO)2(SO4')2), and the solution is erence characters a?) c d e f g and I have also indicated the products of the steps which involve chemical action.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. The herein described process of extracting values from ores containing uranium, radium' and vanadium,consisting' in reducing the ore to a comminuted state, treat-ing the same with an alkalinecarbonate and recovering a uranium solution; then treating the ore with an acid other than sulfurie, and recovering a radium solution.

2. Thel herein described process of eX- tracting valuesfrom ores containing 'uranium, radium and vvvanadium, consistlng in reducing the ore to a comminuted state, treating the same with heated sodium carbonate, recovering a uranium solution, treating the ore with an acidother than sulfuric, and recovering a radium solution.

3. The herein described process of extracting values from ores containing uranium, radium and vanadium, consisting in reducing the ore to a comminuted state, treating the same with an alkaline carbonate, recovering a. uranium solution, treating thev ore with an acid other than sulfuric, recovering a radium solution, and again treating the ore with an acid solution and recovering a vanadium solution.

4. The herein described process. of treating carnotite ores, consist-ing in reducing the 'ore to a comminuted condition, then treating the ore with an alkaline corbona'te, recovering the resultant solution, treating the ore-With a dilute solution of acid other v,than sulfuric and recovering the resultant solution, and inally treating the ore with a dilute solution of sulfuric acid and recovering the' resultant solution.

5. The herein described process of treat-- ing carnotite ore, consisting in reducing the ore to a comminuted conditlon, then treating the ore to dissolve the uranium and a small I amount of the vanadium and converting the radium into a form which is soluble by subsequent treatment, and recovering the resultant solution, and then treating the residual ore to dissolve the radium and some of the remaining vanadium, and recovering the resultant solution.

b v subsequent treatment, and recovering the l resultant solution, then treating the residual ore to dissolve the radium and some of the remaining vanadium and recovering the rcsult-ant solution, and finally dissolving the remainingvanadium linthe ore and recovering the resultant solution.l

The. hereindescrib'ed process of erf tracting uranium, radium and vanadium from ores containing the same, consisting in reducing the ore to a comminuted'condition, and then by successive steps, treating the ore to dissolve the'uranium and convert the radium into a form which is soluble by subsequent treatment, then dissolving the radium and then dissolving vanadium, and recovering separate solutions predominating, respectively, in uranium, radium and vanadium.

8. The herein described process of extracting uranium, radium and vanadium from ores containing the same, consisting in reducing the ores to a comminuted condition, and then, by-successive steps, treating the ore to dissolve uranium andvanadium and convert the radium into a form which is soluble by subsequent treatment, and then dissolving the radium, and recovering separate solutions containing respectively uranium and'vanadium, and radium and vanadium.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of tivo subscribing witnesses.

Jos. A. KELLY, HARRY A. KRAELING. 

